#BACK-ROW
- 6. Ted Hill (Worcester Warriors)
- 7. Jack Kenningham (Harlequins)
- 8. Alex Dombrandt (Harlequins)
BACKS – PICKED BY AUSTIN HEALEY
#HALFBACKS:
- 10. Marcus Smith (Harlequins)
- 9. Dan Robson (Wasps)
Healey said: “If you want to play high-tempo and you want to play at pace then you need a nine that will get the ball into Marcus Smith’s hands very quickly. That’s why I’ve gone for [Dan] Robson at nine,
“We’re all presuming that Marcus Smith is going to start. I’m always picking my backline for Tonga because its going to be the same against Australia. I don’t believe in giving players chances against sides that aren’t as competitive as others.
“So by picking Marcus Smith we’re saying that he’s not going to pick Owen Farrell. I think that’s the only player apart from maybe Maro [Itoje] that he hasn’t dropped in his entire tenure.
“So it’s a difficult one because that will really signify a change in his ethos and the way he’s going to play if Farrell doesn’t start.”